ANKARA

South Korea on Thursday claimed North Korea possessed up to 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, reiterating Seoul's call for denuclearization of the archrival.

Seoul's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young disclosed the assessment during a news conference, citing publicly released estimates by experts.

“According to estimates by experts, including the Federation of American Scientists, North Korea’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium (at 90% or above) is currently assessed to be around 2,000 kilograms," said Chung, according to the ministry.

He suggested that the resumption of US-North Korea talks can serve as a "breakthrough" in stalled efforts to denuclearize the country, Yonhap News reported.

North Korea declared earlier this month that its status as a nuclear weapons state is "permanently enshrined" in law and "irreversible," condemning the US for continuing to demand its denuclearization, state media reported.

It came after the US raised concerns about North Korea's nuclear weapons program at a recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting.

Pyongyang said it is willing to resume dialogue with Washington, but only if it is recognized as a permanent nuclear power.

*Writing by Aamir Latif